Change of roof motor Z4

R

Roy D.

New member
Greetings from Norway. I have problem with my roof on my 2006 Z4, It’s not working when I push the button. So I decide to check the hydraulic motor thru the trunk. So after some google and Youtube I start the dissembling. Finally after some brutality I got the top of the motorhousing off. And as expected the motorhousing was full of rusty water. And it’s now the real trouble is starting. I can’t drag the motor long enough into the trunk, because the cables goes under the lower part of the motorhousing. As I read there is some tie wraps that hold the house. After hours with dragging and twisting I can’t get it loose. I tried from the trunk and from the cabin. It's so frustrating! Do I need the take out the lower part of the housing? Is it possible to push the cable sideways under the housing? Have someone change the motor without dragging it all the way to the trunk? I also used an endoscope (really bad picture quality) There is a white clips in the front of the housing (nearest cabin), Do I need to break this clips? All tips are grateful :-)
 

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Welcome to the forum, this job has been done lots of times (not by me) so be patient, someone more knowledgeable will be along to help soon. :thumbsup:
 
The hydraulic pipes and electrical loom fit into the grooves in the top edge of the lower housing. They then pass underneath and through grooves at the bottom. There is probably tape there holding them in.
I would start by disconnecting the electrical wires and trying to gently free them as they are most fragile.
Then really it is a case of forcing the whole casing upwards to break the tie-wraps. It is brutal, just take care not to cut or kink the hydraulic pipes. You may be able to get a thin screwdriver down there to pry the ties until they break.
You could try a sharp knife or mini hacksaw blade, but be extremely careful with anything sharp.
I have been through the same misery. You just keep trying and eventually it will come out.
Good luck.

Edit: It could just be possible to change the motor where it is, but then you'll be putting it back into that same wet hole.
Just keep chipping away at it.
 
I used a homemade hybrid tool of scissors and an usb cam to attack the cable ties. Roof up, via the door. Think I had a video somewhere…
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Yes brute force required to lift the housing up so the zip tie(s) snap, once they let go the whole lot will lift up and you can drag it back into the boot to give it some love. Take the motor off and soak it in diesel, it should come back to life. Bench run it before you reattach it to the pump body.
 
I used water pump pliars to grap the plastic bottom end and pulled really hard. They do eventually snap the cable ties or the plastic on the bottom end off and then you're free.
 
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